I have a NIV Study bible I really love. I also have an NIV Life Application Study Bible I enjoy reading sometimes, is it ok to continue to use these bibles? I do have Catholic bibles and I always carry my RSV-2CE with me but I do enjoy reading my NIV study bible. I love the cross references and all the other goodies these bibles have. I do look at the footnotes with a grain of salt. I do understand the Catholic view on most scriptures and disregard the footnotes that are anti-Catholic. If there was a Catholic bible with all of these helps in it I would use it, but until then is it ok to continue using my NIV?

I am sure you will get various responses from people on this forum, but I think it is fine to use your NIV Bible. While some of the notes may be a bit problematic at times, the NIV is a very readable Bible overall. (You sound like one who can discern any problematic notes you might fine, of course some may not be able to.) And as long as you recognize that there are 7 books missing in the NIV OT, which clearly you do by carrying around the RSV-2CE. Although I do not own an NIV Study Bible, I recognize that it is a well organized study Bible. I, also, would love to see some Catholic Bibles follow the page format and contain the amount of study helps that the NIV Study Bible by Zondervan provides.

=alavenderluvbug;5291456]I have a NIV Study bible I really love. I also have an NIV Life Application Study Bible I enjoy reading sometimes, is it ok to continue to use these bibles? I do have Catholic bibles and I always carry my RSV-2CE with me but I do enjoy reading my NIV study bible. I love the cross references and all the other goodies these bibles have. I do look at the footnotes with a grain of salt. I do understand the Catholic view on most scriptures and disregard the footnotes that are anti-Catholic. If there was a Catholic bible with all of these helps in it I would use it, but until then is it ok to continue using my NIV?

So, does this mean that since there is no “Catholic” NIV that I shouldn’t use it?

That’s up to you. There is no Catholic version because no Catholic’s served on the editorial/translation team, its missing the Deuterocanonical Books, and the local bishops conference hasn’t approved it. I own a number of non-Catholic Bibles for reference, but my daily Bible is a Catholic version. You could always refer to your NIV for devotional stuff.

I use the RSV-CE, second edition. Not only do I like its language, but it is the English version used by the Vatican. It is not extensively footnoted like the NIV, but has good footnotes.

Here is a good article about how different translations work, and about specific Bibles. Here’s an excerpt:

For example, dynamic Protestant translations, such as the NIV, tend to translate the Greek word ergon and its derivatives as “work” when it reinforces Protestant doctrine but as something else (such as “deeds” or “doing”) when it would serve Catholic doctrine.

The NIV renders Romans 4:2 “If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works (ergon), he had something to boast about—but not before God.” This passage is used to support the Protestant doctrine of salvation by faith alone. But the NIV translates the erg- derivatives in Romans 2:6-7 differently: “God ‘will give to each person according to what he has done (erga).’ To those who by persistence in doing (ergou) good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.”

If the erg- derivatives were translated consistently as “work” then it would be clear that the passage says God will judge “every person according to his works” and will give eternal life to those who seek immortality “by persistence in working good”—statements that support the Catholic view of salvation.

There is also some great software out there for studying the Bible.

The Haydock Commentary and the Douay-Rheims (with commentary by Bishop Richard Challoner, written in 1749-1752) are online; click on the links. Be aware that the D-R arranges the Psalms differently They combined Ps 9 and 10, so that “their” Ps 10 is “our” Ps 11.

Commentaries by some of the Doctors of the Church are here. In the top box on the left, click “commentaries.”

And there is a searchable Catechism online, which I love. So easy to use!

There are also some excellent Catholic Bible studies out there. I’ve taken the first two years of the Denver Catholic Biblical School, which is fabulous! I know it’s available in the Denver and Colorado Springs Dioceses, and I think at a few more. There are books, such as the Ignatius series, and the Navarre Bible series, that are more intensive. (The commentary text takes up more of the page than the Bible text, most of the time.)

I have a couple of NIV’s including the Study Bible and, while I find it very useful at times, I would NEVER use it as my primary Bible, study or otherwise. You want to primarily use the translation that has more of the mind of the Church, as this is the version of the Word of God that will form your mind and your essence as a Catholic.

I have a couple of NIV’s including the Study Bible and, while I find it very useful at times, I would NEVER use it as my primary Bible, study or otherwise. You want to primarily use the translation that has more of the mind of the Church, as this is the version of the Word of God that will form your mind and your essence as a Catholic.

I have a NIV Study bible I really love. I also have an NIV Life Application Study Bible I enjoy reading sometimes, is it ok to continue to use these bibles? I do have Catholic bibles and I always carry my RSV-2CE with me but I do enjoy reading my NIV study bible. I love the cross references and all the other goodies these bibles have. I do look at the footnotes with a grain of salt. I do understand the Catholic view on most scriptures and disregard the footnotes that are anti-Catholic. If there was a Catholic bible with all of these helps in it I would use it, but until then is it ok to continue using my NIV?

As a strong Catholic I would quit using the NIV and burn it. You said that you always carry the RSV-2CE. I would use it I wouldn’t limit yourself in what translations that you do use. I recommend the Douay-Rheims, but all Catholic Bibles are open for consideration.

I am sure you will get various responses from people on this forum, but I think it is fine to use your NIV Bible. While some of the notes may be a bit problematic at times, the NIV is a very readable Bible overall. (You sound like one who can discern any problematic notes you might fine, of course some may not be able to.) And as long as you recognize that there are 7 books missing in the NIV OT, which clearly you do by carrying around the RSV-2CE. Although I do not own an NIV Study Bible, I recognize that it is a well organized study Bible. I, also, would love to see some Catholic Bibles follow the page format and contain the amount of study helps that the NIV Study Bible by Zondervan provides.

I completely agree. I love the format of the Life Application bibles. I really wish we had a comparable Catholic edition.